I heard some gossip a few months ago concerning STS (Space Shuttle) and what happens after another crew loss accident. Supposably there is already a set of plans in place for a Dynasoar/Hermes type winged entry vehicle that could be mounted on the end of a generic ELV like Delta-2. This vehicle would function as a crew transfer vehicle in support of ISS. The scenario I heard was should there be another Challenger type accident resulting in crew loss then all remaining Shuttles will be grounded and hauled off to museums. Construction of the ELV crew transfer vehicle would be implemented as a crash program. Supposably this new vehicle could be fully operational within 3 years after the accident. I was also told that use of this vehicle would be so much cheaper than the Shuttle that the development costs could be recovered from reduced launch costs in a few years.
IMHO it would be a catastrophe for the Space Program if the above scenario was implemented. We need orbit vehicles like the Space Shuttle to build large structures in space, i.e. interplanetary vehicles. However there would be a strong political arguments against developing second generation RLVs based upon this supposed failure of the Space Shuttle, economic success of this low-ball crew transfer vehicle and continued fall-out of the X-33 debacle. There is the danger that the Space Program could be locked into the dead end of simply servicing the ISS with ELVs until ISS reaches the end of it's useful life and is deorbited like MIR. It is vital that a second generation RLV be made operational as soon as possible.
Gary
Space/Science » in reply to Re: Sympathy for Kim Keller
A spooky scenario concerning STS